The City of Sarasota recently launched a new free smartphone app called Parker that helps drivers find public parking spaces in downtown Sarasota and Southside Village, at Lido Beach and on St. Armands Circle. The company Streetline, which created the app, has installed sensors in Sarasota streets that measure the number of open parking spots. Users can see which streets are congested on the app and get directions, if needed. The app will also remind you when you need to move your car, if time restrictions are in place. According to the city's parking division manager, Mark Lyons, between 30 and 40 percent of traffic downtown is made up of drivers circling while looking for parking.

Download the app for your iPhone or Android device here.

Watch a video explaining how the app works here: